Friday, February 14, 2014

Here's the story....

Of a husband and wife on their 20th Valentine's Day Together...

She will get up early and fool around on the computer and blogs for awhile and then she will wake him up.  She will fix him eggs and bacon as he gets dressed and then they will have coffee together before he leaves.  As they talk she will remember the Valentine's Day 20 years ago when they took a day road trip together.  They had just gotten engaged and had big hopes and dreams and couldn't wait to share them together.

He lays a box of Valentine candy by the kid's pillows as they sleep and tells them he loves them.  He then shows he loves them by heading out the door.  They kiss goodbye as he heads out to work.  In the cold.  In a truck where the window won't roll up and there are a thousand other things to pay for before he can get the window fixed.  So he bundles up and heads out on a boring commute to a job where he deals with irate customers throughout the day.  He will diligently deal with them and fix their problems.  He will call her a couple to times to check in on her, the children, and the animals and then have to go abruptly because another mad customer is calling on the other line.  At the end of the work day he will drive home, cold again, and try to make the switch from worker to husband and daddy. 

After the kiss, she will head to the shower and try to tug on her mom jeans as she wonders again "Are these a little tighter than before?"  She will fix oatmeal and start to wake the kids up.  She tells everyone "Happy Valentine's Day."  She watches and smiles as her youngest is delighted with the Candy Scavenger Hunt his older sister set out for him the night before.

A couple of spelling tests, some Ancient Greece readings, an ant lapbook, checking to make sure Algebra homework is done.  A little praising, a little fussing about chores done well or not done at all.  Its payday so bills are paid.  Groceries are bought.  Three boys need haircuts before church on Sunday. 

She takes her daughter to a church Valentine's Party and watches as she be-bops inside the door.  So happy to be with her friends.  And she smiles to herself because her daughter is so happy.  And then her heart hurts a little because she knows that one day one of those friends will hurt her and betray her.  Its going to happen.  She will probably do it to one of her friends.  Its a life to be lived.  But the momma's heart actually feels like it will crumble thinking of it. 

The oldest son doesn't necessarily want to sit with the youngest while she looks for school books at the library, but he does it.  It gives him some time to stare at his ipod.  And she thinks about who he is texting and why he has that silly little smile on his face and her heart is happy because he is smiling and sad because one of these days that smile is going to steal some young ladies heart.  And he will start to have his own hopes and dreams with her. 

And the middle son brings her another book about more animals he thinks we should have on our farm.  And she smiles and her heart is happy because he is such a big dreamer and such a big doer and she knows he is going to do something that will knock the socks off of people, but all that will mean he will need to go out and do it apart from her.  As it should be, but hard for the momma that loves him so.

She will check her facebook throughout the day for a message from him.  Something funny that will remind her of the laughter they have shared over the silly sci-fi shows they have watched.  And she will smile and look at the clock to see how much longer until he can leave work.

And they will come home and eat a supper together and wait for him to come home and he will get the leftovers, meager as they are after two teenage boys have descended upon it.  Daughter will talk his ears off about the Valentine's Party and describe every detail of everything that happened.  And youngest son will settle into the crook of his arm and they will watch Survivor Man together and discuss what he "should have done."  And her heart will swell at the picture and she tries to place it in her memories.

The children will go to bed and she will turn on a silly, non-sensible tv show, and will settle down under her cuddly blanket. He will fool around on his i-pad and she will fall asleep.  When he goes to bed he will try to wake her up and she will either smile or be very grouchy, he never knows.  Its a gamble every night.

And they wake up the next morning.  And do it all over again.

And she wonders how it could ever get any better than it is today.

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